When this festival started in 2003, there were only a handful of organic breweries. Craig Nicholls started Roots Brewing shortly after that first festival, and the NAOBF began proper in 2006. A high profile opening by Hopworks in 2007 drew more attention to the organic beer movement and the festival has gone from strength to strength since.

This year the NAOBF moved from June to August!

As always, we’ll be taking the Yellow Line MAX to the festival at Overlook Park and we recommend you do the same. More details can be found at the links
below.

What makes this event distinctive is that it will only feature beer brewed in the city limits of Portland. Not only will Portland beer will be served, so will cider, wine and cheese, but only cider, wine and cheese made in the City of Portland.

Food!

The food vendors will be Bunk Sandwiches, The Dump Truck, Farm to Fire Pizza, Urban German and, on Sunday only – Ruby Jewel Ice Cream.

The cider, wine and cheese featured at the Portland Craft Beer Festival will also be made right here in the City Portland!

Cheese — Ancient Heritage and Portland Creamery

Cider – Cider Riot! and Revenrend Nat’s

Wine – Coopers Hall and Hi Wheel.

Tickets

The cost of admission is $20.00 that includes a mug and 10 beer tickets. One beer ticket gets you a 4 oz pour and 4 beer tickets gets you a full pour. Additional beer tickets will be available for purchase at $1.00 per beer ticket.

Growing up I never ate rhubarb. My Dad always said it was the most disgusting food and not fit for human consumption. Even as an adult I can’t remember trying it, going so far as to turn my nose up at it and/or smack talk rhubarb behind it’s back.

My dad also doesn’t approve of beer.

He’s going to be very disappointed that one of my favorite beers at the upcoming Portland Fruit Beer Festival is a Kettle Soured Strawberry-Rhubarb Wheat Ale from Fort George named Pucker Pi.

At a preview event for the upcoming Festival, I tasted a few of the offerings and here are my top 5, in no particular order.

Laurelwood Brewing: There Gose the Neighborhood

Very Refreshing. I could drink this all day. Every flavor is subtle, just a touch of sea salt to accentuate every flavor.

ABV: 5.1% IBU: 8

Alameda Brewing: Berried By Night

A solid CDA, with a really great hop Aroma. Uses 7 different hops: Summit for bittering, then Citra, Cascade, Ella, Hull Melon, Centennial and Azacca.

25 pounds of berries per barrel, yet still very balanced fruit, roast and hop flavors.

7.4% ABV. 75 IBU

Fort George Brewery: Pucker Pi Beer

My Dad’s worst nightmare. He hates rhubarb and beer. This one won’t change his mind. It’s a kettle soured version of last years Pi Beer, very easy to drink though, and really tasty.

4.9% ABV

Burnside Brewing/Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider: Fruit of the Garden of Good & Evil

This is bound to be the big hit of the festival. It’s approximately 2/3 Burnside’s Sweet Heat (Apricot and Scotch Bonnet Peppers) and 1/3 Reverent Nat’s Tepache (Pineapples and Spices), with extra Ghost Peppers to kick it up a notch. It’s a slow burn and a great aftertaste. Perhaps save it until last, because it’ll wreck your palate for a good 20 minutes.